I'm ok with the pick, I guess. I think I'm more frustrated that Cammalleri only went for essentially the 17 pick, and that Jokinen went for so little (compared to the Sedn demand at the deadline). Could we not have pulled off one of those deals?

As far as Hodgson goes, I know nothing about him, so who knows. I don't like McKenzie questioning his skating, as this is a struggling point for us already, but who knows. Anyone out east get a chance to watch him play much at all?

ST

Last edited by stevethiessen on Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

There was a time not long ago when Hodgson's father Chris was being touted as a future premier of Ontario. the younger Hodgson will likely never enter politics, but his future in hockey looks very bright.Hodgson is near the top of a dominant OHL crop of draftees. More of a playmaker than a scorer, Hodgson has drawn comparisons to everyone from Adam Oates to Cory Stillman to Chris Drury." 'He has a very good hockey sense and I think that's the strongest part of his game,' one NHL scout said. "It seems every time he's on the ice, he has the puck on his stick.'Although he is not a liability defensively, Hodgson's reputation going into the draft has been his ability to create offensive opportunities for both himself and his linemates.'He just seems to have a great nose for the net and a nose for the puck,' another scout said. 'His offensive ability is his calling card.' "

Taken from my thread. I'll get rid of it as you beat me to the punch ST.

good thing I checked - I was just about the delete mine, thinking you had gotten here first

Did you ever get a chance to see him play? I've heard his name floated a few times, and in more than one mock draft he went higher than 10, so for the first time in a while, we've not gone "off the board" as far as rankings is concerned. Is there any chance Hodgson makes the team out of camp, or is this a pick for a few years from now?

I don't remember noticing him for Canada at the world Jrs, but I remember reading something about 10 assists in 12 games? Plus Quinn said he stepped up as a leader and character guy which is a big plus, I would think a player who played at the world jrs and is described as a smart player would have a chance right away?...

Kikbutt_10 wrote:I don't remember noticing him for Canada at the world Jrs, but I remember reading something about 10 assists in 12 games? Plus Quinn said he stepped up as a leader and character guy which is a big plus, I would think a player who played at the world jrs and is described as a smart player would have a chance right away?...

He didn't play in the WJC, but led the WJ U-18s in scoring and (according to Pierre McGuire) was named best offensive player, best defensive player, best leader, best forward etc. I think we got ourselves a quality guy here. Hell, TSN compared him to Linden. I can live with that.

Edit: and no I didn't see him play, but he got 40 goals and 45a in the OHL last year. Living in Ontario I heard a bit about him in hockey discussions and I knew one guy who really wanted the Leafs to take him and saw him as a future HOFer. Probably won't reach that ceiling, but I don't think it's a stretch to see him as a 30g 70pt guy in the future.

I like this pick alot. Beach will probably turn out well in Chicago but would have flopped if he came here. With the Canucks luck you just know something would have gone wrong & his issues would have magnified. Hodgson will undoubtably be better than the last Hodgson we had, Dan.

Steve, I don't think McKenzie questioned his skating at all. He just said he is very comparable to Stamkos overall, only difference is Stamkos has that blazing foot-speed and Hodgson does not. Probably the thing that prevented him from being drafted earlier than he was. I didn't hear anything that was alarming.

Yeah clam, from the hunting ive been doing for the last hour, it appears as though he has good skating, just not the fastest guy in the world. No problem. Maybe we can hire Bure in the front office to teach "power skating"? I've read nothing negative, or worrysome. I don't really care if he doesn't score between the leg goals as long as he puts it in the net. Looking forward to seeing him play. C'mon training camp!

He isnâ€™t the fastest skater. Heâ€™s not the toughest guy you will meet.

Off the ice, Cody Hodgson isnâ€™t your typical teenager. He met Pope John Paul II in 2001, and he likes to play chess.

But the 17-year-old Markham, Ontario, native plays a game scouts say will lead to a productive NHL career.

â€œHeâ€™s what they call a franchise player,â€ said his Brampton Battalion head coach Stan Butler. â€œHeâ€™s a complete player. He plays good away from the puck. He scores big goals and heâ€™s a good leader on and off the ice. Heâ€™s the whole package.â€

â€œI try to be smart on offence and not a liability on defence,â€ said the modest and mature beyond his years Hodgson. â€œI try to play a complete and all around game.â€

He is succeeding.

The 6-foot, 185-pound centre had a productive December for the Battalion leading all OHL players with 11 goals during the month as his team went 9-2 in December.

That kind of play has him pegged as a possible top-10 NHL pick come Juneâ€™s draft.

â€œBeing a first rounder would be a great honour,â€ said Hodgson. â€œBeing the first five or 10 players chosen would be pretty special.â€

Hodgson picked up 46 points as a rookie last year, and this year he had 57 points in his first 41 games on the year. More impressively â€“ he is a plus-21. In typical form, Hodgson credits his coach for making him a better two-way player.

â€œLast year I was more of an offensive player, going on offensive breaks looking to score,â€ said Hodgson. â€œBut Stan has taught me to play a two-way game and that really helped.â€

He is also drawing comparisons to Chris Drury.

â€œChris Drury is obviously an incredible hockey player,â€ said Hodgson. â€œIt is quite an honour to be mentioned in the same sentence.â€

â€œThere are a lot of similarities,â€ said Butler. â€œThey both can provide offence and they can kill penalties.â€

This is a draft that looks to be heavily dominated by Ontario Hockey League prospects.

Hodgson has ties with Steven Stamkos and Alex Pietrangelo, having played minor hockey with them and they are all still good friends.

â€œWe talk all the time to each other,â€ said Hodgson. â€œWhether we MSN or Facebook. We played summer hockey together for the Ontario Blues and lost one game in four years.â€

Hodgson had 47 points in his teamâ€™s first 34 games â€“ the best point production in the first half by any Battalion player ever. Better than Wojtek Wolski, Jason Spezza or Raffi Torres.

â€œI didnâ€™t know that,â€ said a surprised Hodgson. â€œSome great players have played for the Battalion. I donâ€™t know what to say.â€

â€œHe can be mentioned in the same group,â€ said Butler. â€œWhere he goes in the next few years will determine his future in hockey and in the pecking order of Battalion hockey.â€

Now, back to chess? He was pretty good at it, but doesnâ€™t play as much now focusing on hockey.

â€œWhen I was younger I would compete in tournaments,â€ smiled Hodgson, whose father Chris - during the 1990â€™s - was a provincial minister in Ontario and was widely considered to be a front-runner to be Premier.

You get the feeling Hodgson will be a captain for an NHL team for years to come.

Sounds pretty good I'd say.

Edit: He had 12 points in 7 WJC U-18 games, that's 3 more than Filatov.

well, at the very least, nearly every mock draft I can find has Hodgson going ninth, with one mock up pegging him at 10 to us, and a few having him at 7 to the leafs. Been awhile since we picked the consesus pick!